New Flights Announced for Durham Tees Valley Airport

Durham Tees Valley Airport has been given a major boost with the announcement by Thomson Airways today of new flights to key holiday destinations next winter—including the first ever flights to the popular Red Sea destination of Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Thomson programme from November 2010 to April 2011 will also see the return of flights to Tenerife and once again, as this winter, they will be operating weekly flights to Alicante. Packages from both Thomson and First Choice are on sale today and flight-only deals available from January 28th.

Today Thomson said the decision to introduce the new destinations was because of the high level of demand from passengers wanting to fly from Durham Tees Valley whilst airport Marketing and Communications Manager Emma Ormerod said the announcement of the greatly enhanced winter programme was ‘very good news for our customers—and a welcome demonstration of the confidence of one of the country’s major operators in the airport.’

Today’s news is also an endorsement for the new-look ‘twin terminal’ scheme announced by the Airport just last week. Passengers using all these services will have the benefit of using the new leisure area—including improved check-in and lounge facilities—which is being introduced over coming months.

The flights will be operated using Boeing 737-800NG aircraft, regarded as one of the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly passenger planes, and the addition of the Tenerife and Sharm el-Sheikh will provide a big boost to passenger numbers at Durham Tees Valley next winter.

Says Emma Ormerod “The new programme of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh and Tenerife will each add 9,000 passengers—and one of the really good aspects of the programme is the excellent flight times which will be on offer…the Tenerife service will depart from Durham Tees Valley at 08.00 on Saturdays, returning at 18.15 whilst the Sharm el-Sheikh flights will operate on Sundays, departing at 8.00 and returning at 20.10.

“Obviously Alicante is well-established as a very popular all-year-round destination and the return of flights to Tenerife will be widely welcome as it is one of the hot spot winter breaks.

“We’re sure that there will be a very positive response to the introduction of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh which is now recognised as a world-class holiday resort, flanked by mountains on one side and the crystal clear Red Sea on the other.

“If offers a superb choice of accommodation, but perhaps its greatest attraction is the amazing weather—winter temperatures rarely dip below 15C which makes it ideal for a wide range of outdoor activities. Then, of course, there is the chance for taking trips to the historic wonders of Egypt such as Luxor, the Valley of the Kings and the Pyramids.”